1LoudLS
Dedicated LVC Member
that's only because this site is almost all mark or LS owners, very few models get any attention or traffic.
Be honest. Is the lincoln ls scene pretty much dead?
- Thread starter olddirtybastard
- Start date
that's only because this site is almost all mark or LS owners, very few models get any attention or traffic.
1LoudLS
Dedicated LVC Member
I would bet it probably does, even with the added IRS, the SN95 cars are not known ford their handling. that and I don't really think the IRS setup they used was all that great. part of why terminators have such a hard time getting good traction... probably should have just left the solid axle back there, Boss and Roush versions from the past few years do a pretty decent job on the track.
Telco
Dedicated LVC Member
Odd. I took one from Tulsa to Denver and found it to be quite comfy as a driver. That was about 12 hours one way. The wife, who normally has to lay in the back seat for a 1 hour ride (spinal fusions suck), was able to sit in the front seat for the whole trip. At the end of the trip in each direction we felt better than we do after being in the Lincoln for an hour. Takes me 10-15 minutes of squirming just to get halfway comfy in the Lincoln seats, most other cars I'm comfy after 2-3 seconds. Found the Charger to be quite stable at 100+MPH as well not floaty at all. And, this one was an abused rental with 30K miles on it. About the only things I had an issue with was the trans hung up a few times, which is a problem with those Chrysler 5 speeds, and that stupid electric key. Hate those things.
If you're serious about this, go buy some land and start buying up LS's. You can also pick up a few Conex containers to put on the place. Buy an LS, strip it completely, and store the parts in an organized fashion inside the Conex. You can probably get all the useful parts off about 6 LS's into a single 40 foot Conex. Later on, you'll have the parts you need or you can sell them to other LS enthusiasts. There's this one fellow that picked up about 3 dozen Reattas and stored them in a warehouse. He sells bits of them off for a decent profit because in some cases he's the only one in the world that has the part. Worse comes to worse, you'll have examples to use to have a shop make spares. Investing in a good 3D printer in a few years would also be a good thing to do as you'd be able to print and sell certain parts.
One of the things I have against the LS is the fact that it's a low run car. I didn't know there were so few of them built before I bought, otherwise I'd probably not have bought mine. I've been through all this before with a 1989 Buick Reatta and spending my life in search for little parts was not at all fun. This is another reason I like the Charger, they're making millions of them and they are a well known popular car. This means there will be parts available for the car for the rest of my life, and there will be a fully stocked aftermarket for them.
I'm not really worried about anything being unavailable except engine parts. The DEW98 platform is still in production so some conversion potential will be around for some time. If I were rich, I would most definitely buy all of the LSes I could. I'd even buy some Jag XJs because I really like those too. I've actually seen a lot of those around here lately.
Telco
Dedicated LVC Member
Ironically enough, the engine shouldn't be a problem since Jaguar kept using the AJ engine. Emphasis here on shouldn't.
I hear what you're saying. So many people seem to think there would be all sorts of trauma going on there. If you really think about it, putting a 4.2 in there should work just fine if the same sensors are used. If there are holes for Jag sensors, just plug them up. There may be a need to play with some fuel or cam timing stuff but we do that anyway right? There is no way I'm going to let go of a great chassis over small potatoes.
1LoudLS
Dedicated LVC Member
everybody says how easy it should be to drop a newer/better jag motor into the LS, many many people have joined saying that they were going to do it. honestly haven't seen one yet... people are putting Chevy LS motors into imports and ford EB motors into old hot rods. weird and unusual engine sways happen every day, but for some reason this one never has. I would love to see someone figure it out. but I just don't see it happening too soon.
who knows, you may be the first.
who knows, you may be the first.
joegr
Dedicated LVC Member
This is more complicated than you think. The gen II 3.9 has linear control of the intake cam timing. The exhaust cam timing is fixed (not varied). The Jaguar 4.2 has stepped control of the intake cam timing and stepped control of the exhaust cam timing. No matter what reprogramming of the PCM you do, it doesn't have the IO to control the exhaust cam timing.
pragmatic
Dedicated LVC Member
Engine parts rarely spell the end of a car. Other than rust its things like light lens, hardware (door handles, window mechanisms, latches, seat parts), switches (wiper, HVAC controls), suspension and steering. Engines and transmissions can be fixed or replaced. While the other parts can be had a wreckers the replacement parts are likely no better than the part being replaced.
I'm 99.9% sure the HID lights aren't available. I have a friend that tried to get insurance to replace them (@~$1200 per) due to sand damage. No American dealer admitted to having them so none were available. I do have a driver's side sitting on a shelf in my garage I'm saving for a "rainy day". If I never need it for my wife's LS I will definitely put it up for sale.
Exactly!!!!!!!
Oops! Just to clarify, when I said, "plug them up", I was meaning literally put a plug in the unused sensor ports.
Telco
Dedicated LVC Member
A lot of those parts could be retrofitted from the aftermarket. If the AC crapped out, yank the whole DCCV disaster out and stick in a Vintage Air system. You'd lose the dual heat and air, but I've not found the dual system to be all that great to begin with. Seems if you put one side to 60 and the other side to 80, most of the car winds up being 70. So far as the switches, door handles and other plastic pieces go, this is where the 3D printer saves the day. All you'd need is one of the forum computer geeks to write up a program to print one. Said geek could make a little spending cash by selling printed parts. All the soft materials like seat cushions and door panels, as well as the dash, can be covered over with by-the-yard material from an upholstery shop. Aftermarket window rollers can be used as well, pick up a curved window kit and stick it in. Just needs power, comes with switches and all. Universal seals can be used if you can't get the bespoke; I've used universals before and with a little care and a heat source to help bend them they can be nearly as good. The headlights and tail lights will be the biggest challenge, but a spare pair or two is all you need. It's not like they're COPs or anything. Speaking of COPs, you'll need a 40 foot Conex with nothing but COPs to keep the car going. If you really like the car, where there's a will there's a way.
And stupid money........
FDR
Dedicated LVC Member
How about start with a Gen 1 and disable VVT?
joegr
Dedicated LVC Member
Sure, but then what's the point of doing it at all.
Pete 2004 LS V-6
Active LVC Member
A ten year old car with parts problems is asinine.
It's actually a 16 year old car..........
illyc
Well-Known LVC Member
yes it's dead. don't buy one.
FDR
Dedicated LVC Member
The supercharger
Pete 2004 LS V-6
Active LVC Member
Using 10 as a reference, actually mine is 11 years old.
Yours may be, but the LS was developed in the mid-90's. It was actually introduced in the spring of '99 as a 2000 model.
1LoudLS
Dedicated LVC Member
and while the newest LS's have had a few changes to them, they are still very much similar to the originals...
for example, with the LS for some reason we call it having two different generations, but in all honestly, that's not really true. for pretty much every other model ford cranks out, it would have been considered one generation with a refresh in the middle. just look at all of their other cars... the fusion had their 1st gen in 06 and they refreshed it in 10 with a different look, and a few different parts but most of the car by large was unchanged, then in 13 they released the 2nd gen which was a totally different car.
same with the mustangs, in 94 they released the SN95 which was a major redesign from the Fox that lasted about a decade and a half, then in 99 they gave it the "new edge" look but most of everything else was still the same, then in 05 they released the S197 which was a total redesign, then they updated it in 10 and they gave it another refresh but most of the stuff under the dress was the same......
any car that had a very low production and never made it to a redesign point is gonna have major parts problems, then you complicate that with very few parts being shared with other models and you have a receipt for disaster.
for example, with the LS for some reason we call it having two different generations, but in all honestly, that's not really true. for pretty much every other model ford cranks out, it would have been considered one generation with a refresh in the middle. just look at all of their other cars... the fusion had their 1st gen in 06 and they refreshed it in 10 with a different look, and a few different parts but most of the car by large was unchanged, then in 13 they released the 2nd gen which was a totally different car.
same with the mustangs, in 94 they released the SN95 which was a major redesign from the Fox that lasted about a decade and a half, then in 99 they gave it the "new edge" look but most of everything else was still the same, then in 05 they released the S197 which was a total redesign, then they updated it in 10 and they gave it another refresh but most of the stuff under the dress was the same......
any car that had a very low production and never made it to a redesign point is gonna have major parts problems, then you complicate that with very few parts being shared with other models and you have a receipt for disaster.
FDR
Dedicated LVC Member
There just weren't any cool designations like Miata NC-1 vs NC-2, or SN95 vs New Edge, or S2000 AP1 vs AP2. The LS just called it a facelift or the new LS. So 1st/2nd gen stuck, presumably, because it was easiest. And LS1/LS2 were taken